The biggest takeaway: it sounds like, if anything, the experience has made the Rangers’ team cohesion stronger than it was. The players have rallied around Washington, actually. Which isn’t necessarily surprising. Washington is almost universally well-liked in baseball circles. When you have that sort of goodwill in your back pocket, you’re given a greater benefit of the doubt.

Washington has paid for his transgression — Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels says that they were considering extending him last season but did not, in large part because of the cocaine thing — but he may just yet get to beat it. All he has to do is win. Which is what every manager has to do.